Page 28 - The Ashley Book of Knots

ON KNOTS

and a hopeless tangle is apt to follow. There are even cases where a

totally different knot may result when carelessly pulled. Tie the

GRANNY KNOT (~ 80) around any object" and pull one end, and it will

capsize into Two HALF HITCHES (~8 I). A REEF KNOT (~77) may

be capsized into REVERSED HALF HITCHES (~1786) in the same

manner. 82

Many or even most of the qualities that are considered desirable in

a knot may on occasion be lacking and yet the knot be significant. -
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A practical knot may either serve its particular purpose well or it . -

may merely serve better than any other knot that offers. Here are

shown three knots which have perhaps the smallest margin of safety

among knots in everyday use. Yet each one appears to have been

found the best for its purpose, and on one, at least, a man's life is

daily balanced.

82. The SLIPPERY HITCH is often found in the sheets and halyards

of small boats. It may be spilled instantly when required, yet it is a

perfectly good hitch when properly applied and understood.

83. The AWNING KNOT is used as a stake hitch on marquees, and

in lining off crowds on wharves and decks, at county fairs, parades,

:ircuses, etc. It is instantly loosened by a jerk or blow, yet it is not a

SLIPPED KNOT.

84. The BALANCING-POLE HITCH appears to have the smallest mar-

gin of all, but apparently it has proved adequate for the purpose it

was designed for. When it is to be removed, the performer pauses, •

part way up his pole, then flirts the rope from the top of the pole and

tosses it to the ground.

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The tools of the sailor, the sailmaker, and the rigger, the three

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craftsmen whose work is primarily concerned with rope, are the

result of years of selection and refinement. There can be nothing

bettel for knot tying, although commercial tools are designed for

heavy practical work. The confirmed knot tier aboard ship often has

a few homemade miniature tools of similar design stowed away in

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his ditty bag. , •

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85. The rigger commonly wears three articles on his belt: a 11UrY- -
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lingspike, a born (called the rigger's horn or grease hom), and

a sheath knife (~92). The horn contains tallow for greasing strands.

A marlingspike (~89) is a long metal com: for opening strands in

splicing and multi-strand knot tying. It has a protuberant head for

pounding, and a hole for passing a lanyard. The bulging head dis- 8&

tinguishes it from the fid (~90), which has none and is usually made

of wood. For wire splicing the tapering point is usually somewhat

flattened. The rigger's knife (~92) is "square-pointed" and is thicker-

bladed than the characteristic sailor's knife (~93). v ., :

86. In cutting off lanyards and other rigging, the rope is held

against a spar, and the back of the knife blade is tapped or pounded

with the head of the marlingspike. A skilled rigger is one who can ) ) J -)

cut in this manner all but two fibers of a rope, without scoring the

spar.